(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares the following:
(1) That police protection is an essential service for the protection of life and property and necessary to ensure the orderly conduct of society.
(2) Cities and counties have been the traditional law enforcement providers in the state.
(3) Some special districts have been granted statutory authorization to perform police protection activities. These districts include the Bear Valley Community Services District, the Broadmoor Police Protection District, the Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District, the Lake Shastina Community Services District, and the Stallion Springs Community Services District.
(4) These districts are authorized to perform the same police protection duties and functions as cities and counties.
(5) These districts wholly supplant the law enforcement functions of the county within the jurisdiction of that district.
(6) These districts employ peace officers, as described in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code, who are certified as meeting those standards and requirements adopted pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 13510) of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
(7) These districts are eligible to receive state funding pursuant to the following:
(A) Section 30061 (Citizen’s Option for Public Safety Program (COPS)).
(B) Section 29550.4 (booking fee reimbursement).
(C) Item 9210-106-0001 of the Budget Act of 2001 (technology grants).
(b) The Legislature hereby recognizes the importance of the agencies identified in subdivision (a) in performing essential police protection services within these agencies’ respective communities and, in enacting laws, shall attempt to encourage funding equity among all local law enforcement agencies for public safety purposes.
(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 176, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2002.)